The Recognition of Stratigraphic Anomalies Through Improved Acquisition and Processing Technology in the Hugoton Embayment

Oil has recently been discovered in the Hugoton Embayment, Kansas, through the use of stratigraphic interpretation of seismic data. This oil is located in traps of channel sands in the Morrow and Chester Formations.

Current seismic data, from which producing well locations were selected, were ‘deprocessed’ to simulate older data. Field acquisition and seismic processing parameters were duplicated for six of the prior twenty-four years. This simulated data shows the logical progression of field acquisition and processing technology. This method also demonstrates the stratigraphic appearance of the anomaly on the data during those years.

Both field acquisition and processing parameters and techniques are reviewed on each of two lines. The resulting impact of the changes on each of the sections and its anomaly is noted as we progress through time.

In addition to showing full sections for each of the six years, blowups of the actual anomaly location on each of the simulations are shown with the original data for easy comparison.